This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Transmission valve manifolds typically consist of aluminum castings with worm trail routing of multiple connections between various working elements. These worm trail fluid paths typically must be two-dimensional, and cannot cross over another trail's path. Due to this two dimensional limitation of typical transmission valve manifolds, getting from one element to another can often require a lengthy and convoluted path that adds to the complexity and size of the casting.
One method of overcoming this two dimensional limitation includes manufacturing multiple valve manifold bodies, each having its own two dimensional worm trails, and connecting the valve manifold bodies with one or more separator plates configured to permit fluid communication between the worm trails of the valve manifold bodies in a third dimension at predetermined locations. Such separator plates require gasketed seals and precise machining of the gasket surfaces. These separator plates also only allow binary cross-over of hydraulic circuitry from one two dimensional worm trail casting to another two dimensional worm trail casting. Furthermore, the use of separator plates typically requires the use of additional threaded fasteners to connect the assembly together, which can increase cost and assembly time, and can also result in uneven gasket compression and distortion of valve bores. Such uneven compression and bore distortion can lead to gasket blow-out, gasket crushing, valve leakage, uneven wear, or sticking valves, for example. Additionally, the two dimensional worm trails of each valve manifold body must be routed around these threaded fasteners, adding further size and complexity.